Penelope looked doubtful, but she turned and hurried away just the same.
Alexandra waited until her sisters were gone, then made her way back to the study, where Hector had poured himself a drink. He took a big swallow of it without looking in her direction.
She lingered in the doorway until he looked up at her and raised his eyebrows. “Are ye comin’ in, then?”
“You need to put something on that bruise,” she informed him. “You look a fright. Thetonhas plenty to say about you already without you walking around looking like that.”
“Aye? Help me with it, then,” he said. “If ye bring me somethin’, I will allow ye to treat me face.”
He smirked at her, and her heart seemed to tremble in her chest. This way he had of making her feel as though her body was failing her, as if every part of her was coming apart—it was dangerous. She didn’t know what to do in his presence.
“I’ll fetch a compress,” she murmured and hurried away to do so, grateful for the temporary space between the two of them.
By the time she returned, he had his feet up on the desk and was eyeing his drink contemplatively. “Put that down,” she told him, holding up the compress.
“Daenae boss me, lass.”
“And I’ve asked you not to call me that.” She moved to his side, summoned her courage, and placed a hand on his temple, tipping his head to one side so that she could better access his face. She laid the compress over the bruise.
“What’s that smell?” he wanted to know.
“Witch hazel. It will help. And you shouldn’t talk right now.”
“If ye had yer way, I’d never speak,” he chuckled. “Did ye learn this treatment growin' up?”
“From my sister,” she said. “Because my mother died young, Evelina raised us and cared for us all our lives. She taught me all I know.”
“Nae yer faither, then?”
“He hardly wanted anything to do with any of us. Too disappointed in the fact that he had four daughters.” She shrugged; that was an old pain. “We sisters were forced to look out for one another.”
“Ye were lucky to have had them.”
“I was. Very lucky indeed. Now, stop talking and let me treat your face, for pity’s sake. I thought it was important to you to stop the wagging tongues.”
“Nae a hope of ever stoppin’ that.” He mimed a quick punch. “Be at ease, lass, they cannae domeany harm.”
“For heaven’s sake. I’ve told you to sit still. I can’t treat this properly unless you do.”
“And yer relationship with yer faither now? He must be pleased that ye’ve made a good match.” He winked roguishly.
Alexandra shrugged. “I don’t know what he thinks. I don’t care what he thinks. My sister says he’s changed, that he realizes the injustice in how he always treated us. For all I know, that might be the truth. But what I do know is that I can’t trust the man. I couldn’t even trust him to manage our family’s ledgers—I had to take over that responsibility.”
“Well ye’ll nae have to dothatnow that ye’re married to me.” He caught her wrist as she came in again with the compress and pulled her close. “And I’ll show ye thatsomemen are to be trusted, even if perhaps yer faither wasnae one of them.”
She met his eyes, feeling as if she were on a ship at sea. The world seemed to rock around her.
Why did she find it so hard to keep a clear head when he started acting like this?
She needed to break their eye contact, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t look away from him. She couldn’t so much as turn her head. And now he was rising to his feet, and she wanted to tell him not to do that, that he needed to keep his seat so that she could finish treating his wound, but she couldn’t do that either, somehow. She was helpless. Powerless.
He stood over her now. His eyes searched hers, as if there was something specific he hoped to see there. Something he hoped to find. The answer to a question he hadn’t asked, and she couldn’t comprehend.
His hand was still on her wrist, and he pulled her closer.
Her heart missed a beat.He’s going to kiss me.
He would stop if she tried to stop him. She was sure of that. He wouldn’t force a kiss on her.
